DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hunter X Hunter

Chapter 13: The Battleship

When the water finally receded, the remaining applicants found themselves gathered on the ship's deck. The sky and sea appeared relatively calm for the moment.

Then Leorio voiced what none of them dared to acknowledge.

"...We have less than twenty hours until another storm front hits us," he stated gravely.

Kurapika regarded him solemnly. "Which means we have that amount of time to formulate a plan of action."

Hanzo nodded grimly. "Yeah... or we're all as good as dead."

Optimism wasn't exactly his strong suit... Morgan sighed and sank down onto the deck, silently listening to their deliberations.

"And on top of that, we still have to find a way to reach Zevil Island," Kurapika added, emphasizing the daunting challenge ahead.

"Yeah, we know that," Leorio acknowledged. "But how are we supposed to do that?"

"There's no escape…" Gareta muttered despondently. "Not by air, or across the water."

"Why don't we use a boat while the storm's not here yet?" someone suggested, their idea carrying a glimmer of intelligence.

'Yeah, right, like that hasn't been considered,' Morgan thought sarcastically, punctuated by an eye-roll.

Note the sarcasm.

Morgan didn't even bother to look up. "We don't have one that's big and fast enough. So, can someone please suggest something that's not suicidal?"

She heard a grunt in response, sensing the disapproval in her tone, but she couldn't bring herself to care. They could dislike her all they wanted. Right now, the priority was finding a way to escape before the next storm struck.

"Oh, but we do!" exclaimed a voice from above.

They all looked up towards the tallest part of the boat and saw none other than Gon and Killua.

"Gon?" Kurapika questioned, surprise evident in his tone.

Morgan gave him a skeptical look. "Are you really that surprised to see him up there? Come on, Blondie, it's Gon; where else would he be?"

"Shut up…" he muttered. "Why are you suddenly so grumpy?"

She just scoffed in response. 'From overthinking,' she thought.

Gon waved enthusiastically at them. "Why don't we use this ship right here?"

She blinked. 'What ship?'

Blondie was gazing up at Gon as if he'd just heard the most profound statement ever uttered.

"Gon, don't be an idiot!" Leorio exclaimed. "This is nothing but a pile of scrap metal!"

Morgan's eyes widened as she recalled their exploration of the ship. Gon had accidentally triggered a loud honking sound by pressing a button. "Oooh!" she exclaimed.

She stood up, cheering. "That's what I'm talking about: useful ideas!" she shouted. "Gon, you're a genius!"

"Yeesh, I don't really understand Morgan's mood," Leorio muttered. "Did you pick up on anything?" He asked Kurapika.

"...Aside from everything, not much," Kurapika mumbled under his breath.

They made their way to the control room.

"The engine still works?!" Kurapika exclaimed as they all gathered around the controls.

"But do you think this ship is actually capable of moving?" Leorio questioned, addressing no one in particular.

Killua turned to him. "I don't know, but it's worth a shot."

Kurapika rested his chin in his hand. "Yeah... this might actually work. But since the ship is grounded, we'll have to make it buoyant enough to break free."

They all nodded in agreement.

Ponzu stepped forward. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Well, that's a different perspective..." Hanzo remarked. "Rather than abandoning ship, we're taking the ship with us... I like it. I'm sure this is the primary objective of this phase."

Kurapika glanced out the window. "Our only concern now is whether or not we can complete all the work before the second front arrives." He turned to the other candidates. "The first thing we need to do is assess the condition of the ship. Let's all spread out and reconvene here in one hour."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Kurapika distributed a sheet specifying which part of the ship each group was responsible for checking. With clear instructions in hand, the group split up and hurried off to their designated areas.

.

.

.

.

"You found the ship's blueprints?" Leorio inquired, addressing Hanzo, who was spreading out the said blueprints on the floor of the control room.

"Yeah, and the manual too," Hanzo confirmed.

"Now that we have these, let's brainstorm," Kurapika suggested, resting his chin in his hand.

Morgan inwardly groaned. Good grief, just how long was this going to take? They didn't exactly have all the time in the world...

"Hm... by examining the ship's blueprints and considering how it's stuck in the cliffside," Kurapika began, pointing to the blue paper, "if we weaken the rock, we should be able to free the ship."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Morgan questioned. "Did you see the size of that cliff? We won't be able to break it with an ax. Not within the time we have anyway."

He rolled his eyes. "No, we won't need an ax."

"Then how do you suggest we do it?" Gon inquired.

"We could use the guns," Hanzo suggested. "They're mounted on turrets, so we could turn them to face the cliff."

"What about ammunition?" Morgan inquired.

"I think I spotted some shells when I was exploring earlier," Leorio replied. "They were too large to be for anything else."

"Okay," Kurapika said, a slight smile appearing on his face. "This could actually work."

"What about the hull?" Morgan persisted. "The ship will tip if the water isn't evenly distributed throughout the bottom."

"How about using explosives?" suggested another examinee, stepping forward to join the conversation.

"And uh, who are you?" Hanzo asked, wearing an almost skeptical expression.

"The name's Kyu," he introduced himself, pointing to himself. "Demolitions are my specialty. There are plenty of materials around here to make explosives, so just leave it to me," he assured.

Pokkle interjected, "Regardless, we should prioritize getting the engines running. Where's the engine room?"

"It's right here," Hanzo indicated on the blueprints. "But the passageway is flooded."

"They could navigate through the air ducts from C-deck," Morgan suggested.

"Alright then, Pokkle and I will go," Ponzu volunteered. They received nods of agreement.

"I think we need to displace as much of the water as possible from this level. The first half of the ship was converted into a hotel, so the weight distribution isn't even anymore," Hanzo observed.

"Let's blow a hole in the storehouse ceiling so the water can flow in," Siper suggested.

Morgan nodded in agreement. This plan was shaping up well. Now they just needed to ensure everything functioned properly. Then, she remembered something.

"Wait, what about the propellers?" Morgan voiced, capturing everyone's attention.

"What about them?" Hanzo inquired.

"I haven't seen what they look like, but given that the ship has been still for nearly ten years, those propellers are either completely gone or fully covered in seaweed," Morgan explained.

"Killua and I can check them out!" Gon volunteered eagerly. "Right, Killua?"

The silver-haired boy grimaced. "What? Sounds like a lot of work to me…"

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Gon persuaded.

"Oh...okay…"

"Now that that's settled," Kurapika said, with a smile. "Let's put our plan into action."

And so it began...

Completing everything before the next storm front might be impossible. But they didn't have a choice. They all had to pull together to complete the task. It was the only way to survive and reach Zevil Island.

Everyone dispersed, wasting no time in performing their assigned tasks. Gon and Killua headed for the propellers, Ponzu and Pokkle went to the engine room, Leorio prepared to dive to retrieve shells with the assistance of Bodoro and Goz (371), Siper (80) took charge of firing the cannonballs, Morgan and Kurapika remained in the main cabin, checking the engine controls, while Hanzo joined the Amori brothers to inspect the guns.

Morgan wasn't certain about the additional tasks Hanzo had assigned to the others, but they were all diligently carrying out their assigned duties.

"Why am I back at the command center again?" Morgan exclaimed in frustration, opening a cabinet on the wall to inspect its contents: a flare gun, flares, batteries, and flashlights.

She would have preferred to search for the shells or assist Gon and Killua in removing seaweed from the propellers. After all, the command center involved a lot of ... well commanding, which she wasn't particularly fond of. She needed something physical to do.

"We only found one diving suit and…" Kurapika paused, looking up from the logbook, his eyes narrowing at her. "And you're the only one I know who reads books."

Hmm... that sounded like a compliment. "But not manuals about old battleships," Morgan complained. "My brain can't handle the stress here. There must be another nerd among the candidates."

Kurapika glanced sharply at her. She cleared her throat. "I mean someone who loves books."

He seemed to be getting annoyed when she labeled him as a nerd. When Killua said it, he was fine.

It seemed like anything she did or said easily irked him.

Well, whatever.

Kurapika tossed the book to Morgan, who caught it. "Now, Morgan."

Morgan offered a sloppy salute to the blonde before flipping open the book.

According to the book, the bridge of a vessel contains the main steering equipment, navigation charts, communication systems, engine controls, and various other features. It offers a clear, unobstructed view of the surrounding areas.

"Okay… This is the horn," she muttered, pointing to a peculiar funnel-shaped object, "and these are the lights." The lights were functional, which was a relief. "Is the steering wheel locked? No? Good. Next is the throttle…"

Morgan switched on the microphone to test it out. "Ah, mic test. One two. If you can hear me, please raise your hand."

Everyone visible outside raised their hands. She smiled and switched off the microphone.

"Thanks. Over."

Next were the controls... She glanced at the pages, which were filled with numerous random drawings. She felt confused looking at the real control panel.

Why on earth did Kurapika assign her to this?

Staring at the sheet, she tried to discern any similarities. She cracked her neck. "Well, there's no point in complaining."

A few hours passed.

Glancing out the window, she observed the sky progressively darkening, a reminder that time was running out for everyone.

A sudden tremor shook the ship. Morgan hurried to the intercom. "Is everything alright down there?"

Immediate positive responses came through. Morgan gave Kurapika a thumbs-up.

Relieved, Kurapika returned to his frantic calculations, tapping away on his calculator.

"Pokkle! Ponzu! What's the status on the engine?" Morgan asked over the intercom.

"We've managed to route power to the guns. Now let's just hope we can get this engine up and running," Ponzu responded.

"Copy that." Morgan then turned to Kurapika. "Are you finished now?"

"Done." Kurapika rose from his seat and approached the intercom. "Okay. Now we'll start the—"

"We've got a problem!" Hanzo's voice came through the intercom. "Leorio hasn't resurfaced yet."

"What?" Morgan gasped, feeling as if someone had doused her with cold water. Kurapika was stunned into silence, visibly shocked by the news. "Then send someone to dive!" she instructed.

"He was wearing the only diving suit we had," Hanzo reasoned.

That sent her into a rage. "There must be someone who can dive without a suit!"

"Rescuing Leorio may lead to more casualties. I'll leave the decision to you both," Hanzo firmly responded.

Morgan cursed under her breath. This couldn't be happening. "Fine, I'll do it myself!"

"Morgan, wait!" Hanzo called out. "Can you hear me?! Gon went after Leorio. Let's trust Gon to handle it."

His words only added to her distress. "You let a kid go on a rescue mission without diving gear in this storm?!"

"He dove in as soon as he knew Leorio was still out there!"

"Gon will save Leorio, Morgan," Kurapika reassured her calmly, though his expression betrayed his uncertainty. "They'll both be fine. It's Gon we're talking about."

Morgan exhaled deeply, still unconvinced. She wanted to argue, to point out the contradiction between Kurapika's words and his expression. She glanced outside. The waterspout was drawing nearer. "Fine, fine."

Hanzo continued speaking over the intercom. "You should be able to estimate how much time we've got from its speed. I'm turning command of the operation over to both of you. Killua and I are gonna go take care of the cannons."

And now, she was finally promoted as the new second-in-command.

"Don't worry, I'll be able to estimate the time easily. Just give me the speed, and I'll do it," Morgan assured.

"Okay." Kurapika then focused his binoculars on the approaching waterspout. "It's moving at approximately two hundred meters per minute."

As soon as he finished speaking, Morgan began furiously calculating on a sheet of paper. "That's it," she declared once she had the answer. "It will hit us at exactly 18:30."

Kurapika nodded in acknowledgment.

"All stations!" Kurapika's voice echoed throughout the ship. "The ship will achieve maximum buoyancy on the rising tide just before the waterspout hits us. It will reach us at approximately 18:30, roughly ten minutes from now. We're going to shell the rock around the box that's grounding us using all four cannons. Simultaneously, we'll engage the engines in full reverse thrust to get out of here. All stations, make your final preparations. The countdown will start on my mark..." He glanced at the wall clock. "Mark!"

A sudden tremor jolted through the ship as they began firing the cannons at the cliff.

"Is everyone alright? Any injuries?" Kurapika inquired.

Immediate affirmations came in. Kyu from the lower deck reported that the water was flowing in as planned to stabilize the ship.

Morgan sought a report from Pokkle. They had successfully calibrated the four turbines. All twelve boilers had been brought up to full operating pressure, and they were about to connect them.

Everything proceeded according to plan. All four engines were fully operational. They were ready to send power to the four pressure pumps for the cannons. Siper was ready to fire.

But as they counted down the remaining time, they never received a report about Gon and Leorio.

It felt like something was stuck in her throat, the taste of blood already present as she bit her lip hard, time slipping away.

"Wait for my signal," Kurapika said, his fists clenched.

"Kurapika! We can't wait! We have to fire! Hey, Kurapika!" Hanzo yelled. "Morgan, talk some sense into him! We have to fire!"

Did he really think they weren't aware of that? They were currently at the main control center of the ship, where both Kurapika and Morgan were overseeing the entire operation. Their decisions would be commands.

This meant the lives of 23 candidates on board now rested in their hands. It would be a huge sacrifice if they insisted on waiting for Gon and Leorio.

'Being in command is a pain in the neck,' Morgan thought.

"Do it, blondie," Morgan commanded. "I'll go."

"But..."

"Just do it." Morgan smiled. She rummaged one of the cabinets and grabbed a flare gun and flashlight she found earlier, pocketing three flares. She reached the intercom. "Can someone please operate the searchlight for a rescue? I'll give you a signal where to spot the light."

"Copy that. I'm currently at it." It was Gerreta's voice.

"Roger." She turned to Kurapika and gave a slight pat at the back. "Trust me and just lead everyone."

He nodded in response.

As soon as her flare guns were ready, she moved quickly down the corridor. She raced down a flight of stairs until she was out. It was completely dark below because the lights were switched off to direct all the electrical powers to the cannons.

Water sprayed harshly on her face. The wind continued to howl angrily. it didn't even take a minute to be wet completely.

The whole ship shook. They continued to fire the cannons.

Morgan found Tonpa below, also in charge of searching Leorio and Gon. He's waiting in case they resurface.

"Anything?" She shouted against the loud noise of the storm and the firing of the cannons.

"Negative!" Tonpa answered.

"Morgan, Tonpa-san!" Gon's voice called not afar. Morgan heaved in relief seeing him floating, carrying Leorio. "Woah, it's moving!"

"Shut up and come here, quickly!" Tonpa shouted.

Morgan immediately fired the flare gun, signaling their location and letting them know that she found the boys.

Instantly, the searchlight spotted where they were, lighting Gon as he finally reached where Morgan and Tonpa were waiting. He helped to get Leorio on the ship first.

The ship shook violently this time. Morgan stumbled to her feet. And when her panicked eyes searched for Gon, he already disappeared into the angry waters below.

"Gon!" She screamed and vaulted over, hitting the water only moments before the ship fired another cannon.

She heard another blow, but it was muffled by the water. Kicking her legs frantically, Morgan propelled herself as soon as she saw Gon being swept by the water and grabbed him. Moments later, she broke the swirling surface of the sea, gasping for air. Her head was spinning, her heart was pounding, and she felt vaguely disoriented.

She succeeded in seizing hold of something metallic, but due to the strong current and holding onto Gon, she's struggling to maintain her grip for so long.

Why is it that every time she assists someone, she ends up in trouble or having near-death experiences? Is she going to die here?

What about Gon?

"Damn it!"

Morgan felt a hand clasping onto her wrist, instantly pulling her out of the water. Her brain didn't have time to process things, but she later found herself safely aboard the ship.

"Are you all right?" Hisoka's playful voice echoed.

She spun around, positioning herself in front of Gon to shield him. Amidst their busy planning, they had forgotten about Hisoka.

Where had he been all this time? Had he finally emerged to sabotage everyone?

"Oh." He crouched down, eyeing the girl on equal footing. Morgan leaned back, sensing his presence as more perilous than the waterspout. "This scenario feels familiar. Just like the first phase." He smiled.

The first phase... It was also around that time she had her face-to-face encounter with him.

"You'd better at least signal them that you're fine. They'll be worried sick," Hisoka advised before standing up and walking away. "Adieu."

Morgan released a breath once he was out of sight. It felt as if the man had been choking her, though in reality, he hadn't been. Hisoka had a penchant for appearing unexpectedly and then leaving just as swiftly.

"Damn it, Gon. Look at what I've gotten myself into because of you," she muttered as she reloaded the flare into the pistol and fired twice into the sky. "I freaking need a long nap."

The girl sat there, observing the storm and the ship. It felt like they were at war. Kurapika's commanding voice echoed around the ship as it continued to fire, now targeting the waterspout and altering its course.

With waves closing in, Morgan pulled Gon closer.

"Morgan, Gon!" Leorio's voice called out as she pulled herself onto the deck, dragging Gon along. She followed the sound in the darkness, barely making out Leorio on the shoreline.

"Over there!" he demanded, grabbing her arms as soon as he reached them. "Are you both alright?"

"Yes," Morgan grumbled, wringing water out of her shirt. "And you?"

"Wonderful."

Morgan smirked at him, raising an eyebrow. She was relieved he was already okay. Finally, Leorio smiled and punched her in the shoulder. Morgan rolled her eyes and punched him back.

"Here," Gerreta handed her a blanket from the cabins, then wrapped Gon. "It's a bit thin, but it'll help with the cold."

"Oh, thank you," Morgan said, smiling gratefully as she draped the blanket around her shoulders. "How's the ship holding up?"

Leorio smiled. "We did it!"

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm going to head back to Kurapika. He might still need my help," she said. "You two better rest, alright? And please look after Gon!" With that, she dashed off.

Blondie and Hanzo had done a great job. Morgan couldn't think of anyone better to lead them. She hoped the ship still had some food left so they could have a small celebration feast after this ordeal.

Morgan suddenly realized something was wrong. She couldn't hear Kurapika's voice anymore as she made her way back.

When she reached the command center room, Morgan was shocked to see Gittarackur, the Pin Man, steering the ship instead of Kurapika.

She noticed someone lying on the floor, unconscious. It was Kurapika.

Morgan panicked. "Wha-"

Before she could take action, Gittarackur stepped back, gesturing toward the ship's wheel as if offering it to her. Then he left.

Morgan immediately rushed to Kurapika, checking his condition. He was breathing, but he had a slight gash on his forehead.

They needed to patch him up.

She went to the intercom and asked Leorio to come and bandage Kurapika's wound.

Morgan was confused. It didn't seem like Gittarackur had attacked Kurapika. She took hold of the wheel and started steering the ship.

From what she could deduce, Kurapika must have fallen and knocked himself out due to the tremors. Fortunately, Gittarackur had been there to steer the ship.

"I sure did unexpectedly meet two of the most unwanted candidates," she thought.

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